This invention relates to an electric motor system having plural actuators which undergo cyclic deformation to generate propulsion forces.
Electric motor systems of both the rotary and linear propulsion types which embody magnetostrictive actuators are already known in the art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,894 and 5,041,751, respectively issued Aug. 13 and 20, 1991 to Teter et al. and Clark et al. Piezoelectric actuators are also known in the art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,382, issued Jan. 3, 1995 to Nishimura et al.
It is an important object of the present invention to provide a solid state type of electric motor having actuators made of electrically deformable material that are cyclically deformed under electrical control for smoother operation.